William Tyndale's moving story is set to get a touch of Hollywood tomorrow with the first airing of US dramatised documentary three-parter 'Fires of Faith', written by screenwriter Mitch Davis.This major project - initially under working title 'Martyrs for a Book: the story of the English Bible' - was first reported by Tyndale Society Trustee David Ireson back in TSJ No.37, Autumn 2009, when he, fellow Trustee Guido Latre and the Society's Chairman Mary Clow were called in to advise.
"He sent us nine pages of questions, starting with Jerome and ending with the KJV. We then went up to London and went through a three hour interview before camera," said Ireson.
Fellow interviewees included David Rosen, then chief Rabbinate of Israel, Alec Ryrie, Professor of the History of Christianity at Durham University and Brad S Gregory, Professor of Early Modern History at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana amongst 18 other elite scholars and religious leaders from around the world.
"Fires of Faith is rife with factual Early Modern Era drama that fictional Hollywood would struggle to concoct," commented film maker Lee Groberg.
"Those who sought to translate “God’s message” into the English vernacular were seen as heretics, persecuted and ultimately executed. At the forefront of the saga is British religious scholar William Tyndale, who was responsible for the original translations that make up more than 80 percent of the King James Bible’s text. His death by strangulation and burning at the stake under King Henry VIII didn’t stop his translated words from ultimately reaching a global audience and enduring to this day."
We wait with interest to view the resulting series, which is set to reach a US and worldwide audience of some 60 million households via cable/satellite channel provider BYUtv.
To view a trailer of the production featuring Tyndale Society Trustee Guido Latre, and showing many familiar Tyndale scenes, use the player window below or click here to access BYUtv's website.
For full information and screening times click here.
Enormous thanks for the opportunity to see this online… I can't wait for Episode 2!
ReplyDeleteFenella Bennetts
I watched the first two episodes on the web, and was both impressed and moved. The end of the second installment was particularly strong, as some of the final acts of the martyrs -- both Catholic and Protestant -- were dramatized. Their courage and honor, within such tragedy, was remarkable. Good history, well told, is a rare treasure. This certainly qualifies as such. (David Lund, West Jordan, UT)
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